Pregnant women are being left standing on public transport because commuters
are too afraid to offer their seat in case they are simply overweight,
researchers claim.

The majority of expectant mothers cannot find a seat on buses and trains because their fellow passengers cannot distinguish between a pregnant woman's bump and the figure of an obese woman, it was claimed.

According to two surveys, many commuters are choosing not to relinquish their seats because they are uncertain if women are really pregnant or not, while in other cases selfishness was thought to be a factor.

More than four in five pregnant women questioned by parenting website gurgle.com said they had been made to remain standing on public transport.

The 1,000 women questioned were in their third trimester, at 29-40 weeks, meaning almost half may have been suffering from swollen feet, severe nausea and dizziness.

In a separate poll, more than half of women surveyed by Tommy's, the baby charity, said it was unusual for someone to give up their seat to them.